One Last Vow
by izzzyy
Summary: Edward left Bella in Forks to protect her. Bella recognized the lie for what it was, but has moved on and grown. Everything is "fine" until Alice sees a vision of Bella as a vampire, and the Cullens return to investigate. MIXED CANONS, Canon Couples, OOC.
1. Dangling Feet

_"Though you know I love you still, I think we both just lost the will." - Nina Gordon_

_Chapter 1 – "Dangling Feet"_

EPOV

"Like I never existed." Ugh. Who makes such a stupid, false promise?

Besides me, I mean. I've always been a bit of an idiot. "If I live to be a thousand, I'll never forget the way she looked at me." As if living to be a thousand years old was really much of an option for my kind. A thousand? More like the blink of an eye.

She saw through me. I know she did. A single lie couldn't negate the hundreds of times I showed her I loved her. She was a teenage girl, and I saw the hurt flash through her beautiful eyes for a fraction of a second. It was replaced almost instantly with a look I knew better from my Bella - pure, steeled resolve.

She slapped me once, hard, across my right cheek. I thought it hurt, but maybe that was psychosomatic. Her anger was so complete that she barely flinched at the cracking that belied her broken fingers. She just turned and, quite gracefully by her standards, walked away from me like I had left her.

I had broken it off, but she was the one that left me broken.

"Edward. Snap out of it, son." Carlisle's voice was uncharacteristically impatient, but that was inevitable after two years of seeing me moon over what Rosalie fondly referred to as "a mere mortal."

Alice hissed at me from across the woods. I hissed back, before she yelled "if you can remember her, so can I, and I can still despise you for removing her from our lives, you Jackass!"

She had me there. I ignored her. The past two years, my relationships with most of my family had deteriorated rapidly, especially with Alice. After her original vision and instant kinship with Bella, she held me personally responsible for the loss of her newest, youngest "sister."

I returned to the disgusting elk I was draining, wondering what would happen if we drank from a beast with rabies, vaguely making a note to ask Carlisle sometime. I heard a half-stifled gasp from the area Jasper and Alice were occupying.

Alice had successfully blocked me from her thoughts for the better part of a year now, so the vision that flashed past my eyes was almost violently disorienting. I saw Bella step up to a cliff and dive, her feet dangling for a second that felt like eternity, before she fell, slicing cleanly through the water off the beaches of La Push. She surfaced, throwing her long hair back and sending water arching through the air. Other than the moment of shock at her jump, I couldn't see what had upset Alice so clearly, until she focused on Bella's face, pale and tragic as always, but with burning ruby eyes.

Okay, now I _know_ my face hurts, and it has nothing on the mental agony. No one will speak to me, and Jasper told me if I so much as look at Alice again right now he will finish the job of ripping my jaw from my face.

I'm not entirely sure what came over me. I saw those eyes in Bella's beautiful face and I just snapped. Before anyone, including myself, knew what was going on, I was pouncing on Alice, demanding that she take it all back.

Of course I know better than anyone that's not how her visions work, but I was far from rational at the moment. At my insistence the hunting trip was aborted and all seven of us are racing at top speed back to Washington.

_"Edward."_ I nearly ran into a tree with the shock of hearing Alice's voice in my head, much less soft and not screeching at me. _"I hold you responsible for this, Edward. You will fix this, or I will end you."_ It's not often that our Faerie frowns, much less threatens someone's life, so I take the threat seriously, nodding only slightly, knowing by instinct that she saw it.

I gave myself a mental slap, chuckling at the thought of asking Alice to make it real. I kept running toward the one thing that had always captivated me, owned me. I was hers, more than she ever knew.

**BPOV**

It wasn't so hard, really. After the first month, at least. I was a complete mess the first month, but I could see in Charlie's eyes that it was time to shape up or ship out. So I shaped. Oh boy, did I shape. I shaped, I baked, and I shaped some more. How pathetic is it that I'm nearly 20 and still living with Charlie? It's a comfortable existence, though.

After Edward left I did a bit of soul searching, so to speak. Mostly I searched for his soul, and why on earth he'd leave, but the end result was that I found myself, in a way.

Edward was an accomplished liar, but I saw the smoldering agony in his eyes when he told me he didn't want me anymore. Was he really so blind to how well I knew him? I knew his face better than I knew my own; something I was thankful for at the time, but something that now feels sad and empty. And so, instead of arguing, instead of crying, I did the only thing left. I got mad.

Once I outgrew the massive tantrums I threw during my childhood, usually at Charlie's expense, it seemed almost foreign to get mad. I've always been pretty level headed, but having the love of my life lie to my face and expect me to fall for it? Well, it was too much. I snapped, and for the first time in my life, I saw red. After slapping him with everything I had, I went to make Charlie dinner and nurse my certainly broken hand. Note to self: Slapping solid granite is officially on the "NOT to-do list."

Jake and Mike have been heaven sent, really. Angela is still my best friend, though she and Ben are in Seattle, at school. Jessica has disappeared from my life, somewhere in California, and I can't say I miss her all that much. If Jake ever gets off his butt and finishes school we're going to go off to college together.

I've been running a small catering business for special occasions here in Forks and around Port Angeles. If I decide to stick around I'll probably open my own diner. For now I can cook, experiment and make some cash to help with the bills and save up. I can't complain. How many people can say they have a job they love?

One thing I can thank Edward for is making me realize that his problems—his reasons for leaving—never had anything to do with me. It's hard explaining to the guys why I don't feel the need to date, but I've finally figured out how happy and whole I can be by being myself.

Well, that and I've already met the man of my dreams. It just didn't work out.

"Jesus, Jake, I'm freakin' coming already!" I tripped on the way out of the bathroom and caught myself on the banister, cursing under my breath. Having a werewolf for a friend was the best, but sometimes he was so impatient you'd swear he forgot he wasn't aging. We were going to Port Angeles to see a movie. Today is Friday the 13th, so of course in honor of our first date, we're going to see a slew of horror films, ranging from the absurd to the awful. None of them will be good, but that was sort of the point.

I added a final curl to my hair, grabbing my Zim messenger bag and stomped down the stairs. Charlie was home—he had finally stopped working so much after nearly having a heart attack, and there was a game tonight as always. I kissed the top of his head and headed for Jake's newest project car—a 1957 Ford Fairlane that he actually got running. He's still got the Rabbit, but after getting a job he decided he could afford a new project, and he knows I love this car, so he usually takes it when he's driving.

I never thought I'd see Mike and Jake get along, but once they both realized they have no shot in hell with me romantically, they finally discovered they have a bit more in common than they thought. Mike doesn't know the entire story behind the werewolf thing, but he knows that Jake is "just not right sometimes." All in all, I can't complain.

Renee visits more often, once I finally got it into her head that humidity with Jacksonville heat is just not acceptable to me. She and Phil just celebrated their five year anniversary with a trip to Disney Land. Sometimes I wonder if she'll ever grow up, and then I realize I really hope she doesn't.

_**AN: Hey guys! This is my first fic, and I'm really in need of some feedback. **_

_**Love it? Hate it? Either way, please let me know. **_

_**The background of this story lies with the amazing band Devotchka – the title and chapter names are each songs, and the tone of the chapters corresponds with each song. I'll try to upload the songs and link them ASAP.**_


	2. Queen of All the Surface Streets

_**AN: Hey guys, thank you so much for your kind comments on my last chapter. My editor is out of town, but I wanted to get this posted today, so please forgive any grammatical errors. **_

_**Also, for some reason one of the AN for the other chapter didn't post, so I'd like to take this chance to tell you that this story is dedicated to ThisColony. Her story, **__**Salacious Behavior and Earnest Speaking**__**, is great, and she's been really helpful with me getting this story off the ground, and inspiring me. Thanks TC! (And she likes Devotchka too!)**_

_Chapter 2 – "Queen of All the Surface Streets"_

**EPOV**

Perhaps it was the fact that I'd been gone so long, but I swear Bella's scent hit me as soon as we reached Port Angeles. More potent. Powerful. It still made my mouth water, with venom flowing freely, and it gave me pause.

Maybe coming back wasn't what she needed. Maybe it was better to let her choose for herself…but I discarded those thoughts almost immediately. Knowing Bella, Alice's vision came from her being turned against her will, the one thing in this world I truly cannot bear.

It was a quick journey to the old house, and then Esme and Alice scurried around, removing sheets from furniture and quickly restoring the house to its original, "livable" state. We wouldn't be making an appearance just yet. We weren't entirely settled on the excuse we'd use for being back in Forks. Rosalie threw a fit at the idea of us actually working, saying everyone knew she wasn't the kind of girl who would ever return to a podunk town like Forks, much less get her hands dirty.

"Edward." Alice's voice was back to what it used to be, slightly tinkling but softer than normal. I turned to her, surprised she'd decided that she was speaking to me again. She seemed to sense my mood and looked chagrined, if only slightly.

"I know I've been hard on you, Edward. I know I've made my displeasure more than apparent. But you took away a part of this family, and you can't expect that to be readily forgiven. We still love you, but it was hard for all of us."

I stiffened infinitesimally and took a deep breath before responding. "I know that, Alice, but it was for the best. At least, I thought it was. It was to save her soul, her humanity. It was the one vow I've made that I had to keep, Alice. I have to keep her safe. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't."

The sentiment hung in the air. I'm pretty sure everyone suspected I was your anti-typical suicidal vampire, but I don't think they realized just how far I'd go to protect the one thing in this world, besides my family, that ever meant anything to me. Vampires could take care of themselves. Bella was fragile.

"Have you thought about how you're going to approach her?" Alice's voice was anxious, her hands nervously twisting in her lap. "I'll do anything you need me to do to help, Edward. I loved her too. I still do." This is where things got complicated.

"I'm not." I tried to keep my voice steady, but my face gave me away. Her face twisted, confused.

"You're not what?" Her eyes flashed for a moment, but I could still only hear her transcribing the notes from a Devotchka song, distracting her enough that I couldn't hear her complete thoughts. Jasper stiffened next to her, blonde, brooding and silent as always. His eyes quickly narrowed as he took in the emotions around him and turned to stare at me with disbelief.

"I'm not approaching her. She's probably moved on, just like she was meant to, and I can't afford to get attached again. I'm here to protect her, not selfishly make a move on her." Alice just looked at me, her mouth hanging open in shock.

Finally, Jasper spoke in his low Southern drawl, shaking his head. "Y'all are totally fucked."

Jasper's words lingered with me as I headed into Forks. I stayed in the trees and the shadows due to the bright sun. Forks sure had changed while we were gone.

I started at Charlie's house, noting the scent of the werewolf, Jacob, with distaste. The house stood silent and still. Listening hard, I determined that no neighbors were home to see my sparkling infraction.

I swiftly climbed the tree outside of Bella's old bedroom. Surprisingly, the window was locked. Maybe she began to lock it after I left as a symbol? Undeterred, I peered inside, relieved to see the room still looked lived in. Clothes, CDs and the normal battered books were strewn across the room, but she had updated the ancient, wheezing computer that used to stand on her desk.

Satisfied that she was still around, I dropped back to the ground. It had occurred to me that she wouldn't be in Forks anymore, having moved on to college, but now that I was here I had no idea where she might be. Almost as if reading my mind, my phone began to buzz. The caller ID read Alice.

"I've found her, Edward, and you aren't going to like this one bit. Meet me at the Borders on Main Street in two hours. It should be dusk by then, and we're meeting the family to talk. I'll keep an eye on her from this alley and make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

She hung up before I could even respond. I leaned my head against a nearby tree, taking a deep, steadying breath. She was here. She was safe. Certainly Alice would have mentioned it if she were a vampire already, plus Bella wouldn't be in public, at least not right away. Everything just might work out after all.

I closed the phone and began pacing the woods, determined to kill time until the appointed meeting. I was not going to be the one who would make a mistake or be overeager. I would not expose our family being here before we were ready, or before Bella was ready to see us again.

The time passed surprisingly quickly, dusk falling much earlier than I was used to. I quickly made my way back to town and spotted Emmett and Rosalie sitting outside Borders' Café, "drinking" steaming cups of coffee. They looked completely at ease in our old surroundings, Emmett nodding to a boy we went to school with two years ago.

I wondered what they'd decided about explaining why they'd returned from "college" with the rest of the family. Alice and I were supposed to be freshman at University as well. Surely we didn't all drop out and return for our love of quaint, small-town living…

I stopped near their table, nodding silently, taking in the scene around me. This particular stretch of Main Street had not changed much, and was still mostly locally owned businesses frequented by other locals. One sign in particular caught my eye, its simplicity belying a truth that only one person could possibly know. A bright red apple, held in a pair of ivory hands, was extending off the sign, which was labeled in scrawled script, declaring it "Twilight Takeaway: Catering and Baked Goods."

I gaped for a moment, glancing at Rosalie, who was smirking at my obvious discomfort.

**BPOV**

It's a pretty quiet life here in Forks. I'm used to the cold and the wet now, but today is one of those rare sunny days. A few years ago this would have made me frown, trapped at school without Edward or the rest of his siblings. Now, I'm slightly back to normal, flinging open the doors to my kitchen and trying to soak in every ray of sun possible.

"BELLLLLLAAAAA!" Jake bellowed, banging through the back door with my new shipment of vegetables and bringing me back to the present. I recently made him watch _A Streetcar Named Desire_ and he's determined to incorporate my name in every way possible. I should have known better, but I've been on a musical kick, and Jake's the only one that will watch with me. Mike won't come anywhere near my house when I mention them.

"WHAATTTT Jake? Put them over there, please!" I pointed to the far counter with the knife I was holding, before turning to continue chopping vegetables for the Italian Wedding Soup that the most recent bride had requested. I've really been coming into my own in the kitchen, with Mike, Jake and Charlie, as well as the pack, acting as eager taste testers. The only thing we've decided we don't like is a beef stew I made with so much pepper, I felt like I was in _Alice in Wonderland_. I had joked that maybe it would taste better with wild game, such as wolf meat, but Jake just smacked me and looked at me funny.

"Nothing. I just like saying BELLLLLAAAA!!!!" He hefted the boxes easily, his bulk easily shouldering the load. I don't know what I'd do without him as my assistant, especially since he only has a half day of school now that he's a senior. Jake headed out to the front, since I was up to my elbows in chicken stock, but he paused at the door, his nostrils flaring widely before he let out a low growl. It startled me, the sudden change of mood, and I very nearly splashed soup down my front.

"Jake, what the fu-"

"Vampire." He snarled the word, his hands clenching into fists.

"What?!" This time I really did splash soup everywhere.

"Fucking Vampire, Bella. VAMPIRE." His voice was low, but menacing. I threw the ladle on the counter and pulled my apron off in a fluid motion, discarding it on the way to the front room. I paused in the doorway, shouldering Jake out of the way, putting myself in front of him, though it was a bit of a scuffle.

"Jake. I got this. Go to the back and make sure the soup doesn't burn." My voice was steady, but my hands were shaking as I walked to the front of the shop, opened the door and stuck my head outside. I immediately slammed it shut, shaking behind it, before opening it slowly and peeking through again. Alice and Jasper were sitting at a table outside the Borders across the street, looking at me. Alice grinned, her usual perky self, laughing at my display of shock.

I stayed half-hidden in the shadows of my shop, before motioning them over to me. Emmett and Rosalie, sitting at another small table waved, but kept their distance. Rosalie even half-smiled at me, though it seemed a little sad. What were they doing here?!

Alice entered the shop alone, her eyes sparkling but golden brown. She wasn't thirsty. Thank God. That's the last thing I ever thought I'd have to worry about again, smelling too good. Speaking of smells…

"JAKE! Stir the damn soup!"

I heard his grumble from the kitchen but the burning smell began to subside. I'd have to do damage control before the wedding, but there were slightly more pressing matters at hand here. I turned back to the front.

"Alice. What are you doing here? Come to the back, I have a wedding tomorrow and I need to finish up this soup." I unthinkingly extended a hand, and her smile was radiant as she took it and allowed me to tow her into the kitchen. "Jake, you can stay or you can go, but you're going to be civil. I don't have time for squabbles if I'm going to get all this done before tomorrow. Got it?" My tone was kind – he was my best friend, but I didn't have time for prejudices. Alice's nose didn't even wrinkle at the "dog smell," she just beamed at me. I looked down self consciously at my tattered jeans and button down shirt, all splattered with soup and various kitchen staples, but she didn't seem to notice.

"You look good, Bella. Healthy. Happy. You're cooking smells good, even for human food." I grinned, knowing she was happy to see me, but unable to hold back the questions on my lips. "Thanks, Alice. You look great as always, but what are you doing here? Are you…" I paused, swallowing hard. "Are you all back?"

Her smile faltered for a moment, and she sighed audibly. "Yeah. We're all back. Don't worry, though, no one will come bother you. We're here for other reasons I can't explain right now. Actually, I won't even bother you if you don't want me to." She sounded sincere, but her pouty lip quivered like she was going to cry just thinking the words, let alone saying them.

"Alice, don't be ridiculous. You are my friend. You're welcome to come see me any time. I'm not going to lie. It hurt when you left, but I keep telling myself you had only the best intentions. I never thought I'd see you again."

She smiled, suddenly radiant again. God, that's one moody little Pixie. "Well, I've got to go. We're going shopping for the house. Esme needs to buy an army of cleaning products to make it 'livable' again. You know how she is. I'll come see you soon, okay?" She awkwardly extended her arms, still not sure about my limitations and desires. I launched myself into her arms, squeezing her tight. "Don't be a stranger, Alice. Come see us soon." I shot a look at Jake, who was muttering under his breath, before Alice let herself out, breezing onto the street and into the semi-busy nighttime traffic of Main Street. Before I knew it, Jake had distracted me with thoughts of the four tiered wedding cake I had to construct before tomorrow. As always, it was time for an overnighter, because things always tasted better when they were fresh.

Like the fresh start I no longer had.

**JPOV**

"I can't believe that idiot knocked the cake down." I was grumbling, thinking of Bella, but she was taking the stress with good grace. The wedding was in 8 hours and the DJ had knocked over the cake table while setting up his equipment. Bella looked like she was going to kill someone for a moment, but then just hopped in the car to go back to the kitchen, leaving me to set up the rest of the food.

This wedding gig was pretty good – some rich banker's daughter or something, and they'd gone all out on the food. Bella was thrilled to have a big order, though she was tired from cooking all night, and I was stoked thinking of all the leftovers I'd get to take home. My favorite job perk, and it keeps the pack from starving to death.

It had been an interesting week. Billy was currently fighting with the local Indian Affairs Bureau, trying to get our food budget increased, but the agent didn't seem to understand why we needed it. We sure as hell couldn't tell him – "Hey, Government Agency Guy, growing werewolves eat a lot, okay?!" Yeah. That would go over well. The entire reservation had fallen on hard times, with the pack as large as it was. Luckily the changes stopped after the Cullens left – the pack was already too big in my opinion, and dealing with Leah is more than a handful. We'd been dating for two years now, but it's still humiliating to have the pack see every intimate detail of our relationship. Leah had a very vivid mind. I hadn't told Bella yet, but I was starting to think about Bella catering my own wedding, and standing as my best (wo)man.

Mike snapped me out of my thoughts effectively, smacking me in the back of the head as he passed by to go get another tray of food. "Jacob. If you straighten that pile of napkins one more time, I am seriously going to question your sexuality, Leah be damned." I chuckled despite myself.

"Sorry man, I was miles away. Thinking about Leah, actually."

Mike made a face. "Ew. I'm going to get the rest of the food, now. Come carry something, slacker."

By the time Bella showed up with cake, the actual wedding was about to start. I've seen enough ceremonies to last a lifetime, so I hovered over our tables, picking at the food as Bella yelled at and smacked me. Some things never change. The cake looked amazing, like it was the original. Bella was the most collected person I know, considering the bloodsuckers were back. The Tribe wasn't thrilled, but as long as they stuck to the treaty there wasn't much we could do about it.

I settled into a fancy chair, killing time and trying to ignore the obnoxious organ music floating down from the church until I had to put on my happy face and pretend like I actually gave a crap about the bride and groom.

Leftover chicken. That thought would get me through.

_**So there's chapter two. I stayed up late last night outlining where I want to go with future chapters, and I'll be writing a lot over the weekend. However, I've been without internet at home for 3 days now, and have no idea when it'll be fixed. So, at the latest I will try to have Chapter three up during the day on Monday! **_

_**PLEASE review – I would love to hear your ideas on what's good or bad, and what I should do next.**_


	3. This Place is Haunted

_**AN: Hey guys, just on time like I promised! There's a LOT of new information in this chapter, so please let me know if you have any questions. I'm mixing three canons so far, so I'm also ready to be lynched by the "true canon" fans.**_

_**This chapter goes out to my would-be beta, Bennifer, who edits for me even though he hates all things **_**Twilight. **_**Thanks, Ben! You make this story so much better by reeling in my rambles!**_

_**As always, please review even if you hate it – I need to know these things! **_

"_This Place is Haunted"_

**BPOV:**

Well, it wasn't the worst event I'd worked. The bride reminded me so much of Jessica Stanley, I spent most of my time wanting to strangle her. Mike snuck off with one of the drunken bridesmaids of course, so Jacob and I were stuck cleaning up without him as always. Don't ask me why I let him get away with it – I don't know.

I finally made it home and sank into a hot bath filled with lavender smelling salts. That was one bonus of me having extra cash; I finally convinced Charlie to upgrade the bathroom a bit. Sometimes thoughts of the Jacuzzi tub were all that got me through a hard event. He won't admit it, but he likes it too.

I was just getting ready to wash my hair when I heard a loud bang come from my room. I sat up like a shot, splashing water and suds everywhere. I heard a knock on the door and Alice's tinkling voice.

"Sorry Bella! I kind of…broke your window trying to get in. I'll fix it though, I promise!" I tried to be angry, but the thought of Alice breaking things just made me laugh.

"Come in, Alice. I'm in the tub but you can keep me company." The door creaked open and she stuck her head through, grinning.

"You humans and your weird rituals." I rolled my eyes again and stuck my tongue out at her, but couldn't help imaging how the bath "ritual" must have looked to someone who couldn't even remember being human.

"You know, Bella, it wasn't so long ago you would have blushed scarlet at me seeing you naked. Where did Bashful Bella go?!" She grinned, no doubt recounting the shopping trips where I refused to let her come in the changing room with me.

"Bashful Bella grew up, Alice. Plus I got used to not having a best friend that makes me look like a troll." The words were teasing, but Alice frowned, looking slightly upset.

"First of all, dear Bella, no one made you look like a troll – you were always lovely. Secondly, I don't think I can apologize enough for leaving you. None of us can.." She sighed, looking sadder than I'd ever seen her. " Jasper would like to talk to you soon, if you wouldn't mind. He feels like this is mostly his fault, and—"

"NONE of this is Jasper's fault, Alice. He reacted on instinct, and he didn't hurt me. This is Edward's fault. Edward is the one who couldn't accept my human fragility—who would rather have lied to me than make it work. So tell Jasper to come see me whenever he likes, because I want him to hear that from me."

My hands were shaking a little, and I found myself sitting up with my arms wrapped around my knees. I felt slightly chilled from the air on my wet skin. I ducked my head into the warm water to wash my hair, oddly nostalgic about the strawberry shampoo I no longer used.

"So what's up, Alice? Why are you here?" I was glad the words didn't sound harsh, because I was mostly curious. There was something she wasn't telling me, and my days of being left behind were long gone. When she bit her lip, I knew it was worse than I could have imagined.

"Bella…have you met any of our kind recently?" She nervously twisted her hands in her lap, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet, her eyes not meeting mine.

"Of course I haven't, Alice. Don't you think that would have been the first thing I'd mention?" I stood up and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around my hair before grabbing a second to dry my body. I looked at her, still staring out the window, lost in though.

"What is it, Alice? Don't I deserve to know?" I knelt before her and held her face, turning it to face me. "What did you see?"

"Bella… I saw you changed. I don't know why, or how, or _who_, but you were one of us."

I stood in stunned silence for a moment, Alice biting her lip. I headed back to my room and rooted around for something to wear to the shop. Her words hadn't really computed yet. Me, changed? But there's only one reason I would change. And he said he didn't want me anymore. Granted we both knew it was a lie, but was it a lie I could forgive?

I sat down and began to play with my hair as Alice walked in and settled next to me on the bed. "Bella? Are you and Jacob Black together?"

I began to laugh at the randomness of the question. "No, Alice. He's dating Leah Clearwater. I think they're going to get married some day." I giggled for a minute, at the thought of Jake and I being romantic. Lord knows he'd tried once Edward left, but I knew it wasn't meant to be. "Why do you ask? Did _he_ tell you to ask?"

She giggleed, and then frowned a bit. "No, he'd never ask me to ask. He's too busy pretending he doesn't care. He really does want you to be happy, though."

"Then he should come see me himself." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "What a fucking coward."

I finally made it back to the shop, glancing around nervously as I went. I wasn't sure how much of my conversation with Alice had made it back to Edward and when, or if, he'd show up. I didn't have an event until Friday, so Jake and I were going to have a boring few days. Mike dropped by with a new book he'd seen at a store in Port Angeles, specializing in cake recipes. I had just started on a strawberry shortcake, mostly to avoid the tedium, when the bells on the front door chimed. I quickly wiped my hands on a towel and went through the door, stopping in my tracks when I saw her.

She was even more beautiful than Rosalie. She radiated "vampire," with flawless skin and perfect features, but her eyes were a deep brown, similar to mine. She was taller than most men, with flowing blood-red hair that fell to the middle of her back. She leaned against the counter, completely at ease, studying me as I studied her. Finally she broke the silence.

"So. You're the illustrious Bella Swan." There was no question in her voice, but a smothered curiosity.

I instinctively took a step backward, my hand coming up to my throat. My mouth moved, but no words came out. I had never been this nervous around a vampire, but she was striking. I finally forced the words out of my mouth. "I'm sorry, yes, I am Bella Swan. It's nice to meet you." Out of habit I crossed the floor and offered my hand to shake. She laughed but took it, her hand ice cold. I couldn't hold it back.

"Are you a vampire?" She laughed harder, nodding slowly before gesturing to the few chairs I had out in the show room. Blushing brides always took awhile deciding what they wanted and it was easier to just sit them in front of the cake books and catalogs. I shook my head and pointed to my office. "I think it'd be better if we were in private, just in case."

She followed me in, shutting the door behind her. "Impressive. Most humans shy away from us, but then again – I did come here because I was told you're not like most humans."

I stayed silent as she took in the office décor, mostly pictures of Charlie, Jake and the pack and an old one of me and Alice before they left. I had pictures with Edward, but it seemed silly to hang those. I focused on the large tattoo of a snake on her arm, peeking out from beneath her shirt sleeve.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Bella. My name is Lilith. I'm hosting a little get together at my club in Seattle. It's mostly for my kind, but there will be about 50 snacks, by which I mean humans, in attendance." Her brown eyes sparkled for a moment, and I could tell she was waiting to see if her terminology offended me. She took a deep breath and continued. " I want to provide food and drink so they can enjoy themselves as well, and none of them will be lastingly hurt. They're all there by choice, but I thought I'd be careful who I chose for the job."

She shifted in her seat, her unnaturally long legs stretching in front of her. She must have sensed my confusion because she added "A little birdie told me that you have experience with my kind, so I thought you were the only logical choice as a caterer. Would you like the job? I pay extremely well, and while my guests are not 'vegetarians,' as you call them, they are all extremely well behaved. You will never be in any danger."

Before I could answer, the door burst open, slamming against the glass next to it, and Alice burst in, followed closely by Jasper and Carlisle. "BELLA" she bellowed, looking around for me. I quickly opened my office door and stepped out, gasping at the suddenness of their arrival. "For fuck's sake Alice, I'm right here!" Lilith stepped out behind me, smiling.

Jasper leaped in front of me, hissing and falling into a defensive crouch, but Carlisle's response was the most shocking of all – he fell to one knee in front of her, his head bowed, before grabbing Alice and Jasper by the hands and pulling them prostrate as well.

Lilith grinned but stepped forward, holding Carlisle's shoulders. "Carlisle Cullen… when I was told she was adopted by a coven, I had no idea it was yours. Please, stand." Carlisle stood straight, looking shocked. Alice and Jasper seemed completely bewildered, and I was bright red at the idea of being adopted by the Cullens; it was my ultimate dream.

**APOV**

Just a few minutes before bursting into Bella's store, I'd had a vision of her talking to some strange woman with hair the color of fresh blood. Without stopping to ask questions, I ran out the door. Jasper and Carlisle followed me, sure that only worry of Bella could evoke that kind of response from me.

In less than a minute we stood before her shop. Without pausing for a moment I burst through the door, calling for Bella. She came out of a side door with a tall, gorgeous woman behind her. She smelled like our kind, but her deep brown eyes didn't make any sense. Jasper was ready to defend Bella, but Carlisle bowed before this strange creature, shocking all of us. Even among the Volturi, Carlisle had always commanded respect. Seeing him bow in front of anyone seemed alien to me. I glanced at Jasper and saw the same confusion in his eyes, but Bella just looked like it was one more strange event in an already mystifying day.

"Alice, Jasper, this is Lilith." He paused for a moment, and I vaguely wondered where I had heard the name before. "I know her from my time in Italy with the Volturi. She graced us with her presence for nearly a decade before moving on, and she is the oldest vampire in known existence. She makes me look like a baby." He finally allowed himself a small smile, but Lilith was positively beaming.

"Carlisle, you make me sound like a goddess among men, which we all know isn't true. What on earth brings you here?" She smiled and sat down in one of the chairs against the wall, shifting out of habit as only a vampire does.

"Bella. Bella brings me here. It's quite a long story, and probably very boring in comparison to yours. Where have your travels taken you?" Carlisle took a seat across from her and I joined them, nudging him. "Oh, please forgive my lack of manners, Lilith. This is my son, Jasper, and my daughter and his mate, Alice. My family has been lucky and grown much since I last spoke to you." I grinned, waving, but Jasper stood still as a stone, and Bella just looked confused. We were running out of chairs so I pulled Bella into my lap, where she shivered. She looked ready to say something and I nudged her, waiting to see what Lilith said first.

"Charmed to meet you both, but again Carlisle you give me too much credit. It's been a quiet life. The other Antediluvians and I have been keeping a low profile the past 3 millennium or so – with the Volturi around to pursue justice, there's not much for us to do. I did pop into Italy to meet the new Pope, though. Strange man, that one."

Jasper could sense Bella's confusion and smiled at her, muttering, "The Antediluvians are the oldest of our kind, Bella. They survived the flood of Noah and have mostly been in hiding, or 'resting' ever since. Lilith is the one exception, though she also keeps a low profile."

Lilith looked surprised for a second before laughing loudly, reminding me of Emmett. "Ah, he speaks! I was beginning to wonder about him. And the strange golden eyes…Carlisle they could pass for your children if only because of that." Suddenly, the door chimes went off again and Jacob entered, looking up and growling.

"Bella?! What the fuck is going on in here? Dear God it stinks!" I noticed his form vibrating slightly.

I was fascinated that he had become a werewolf after all. I hadn't been around to meet the first werewolves, but Carlisle and Emmett had told me all about them. They weren't lying—the wet dog smell would have made me vomit if I still could.

Before any of us could do anything, Bella moved with surprising speed and pushed Jacob through the door, saying, "You really just don't want to be here for this, Jake. I'm fine. I promise I'm fine. But this is probably a little too much to ask of your self control."

I vaguely heard him agree with her, muttering "I'm going to talk to Sam. This shit has gotten ridiculous."

Bella came back in, locking the door behind her. "Carlisle, I think we need to go to the house. There's obviously a lot to discuss. Is that okay?"

She looked at Lilith, who nodded, and then at Carlisle, who smiled and said, "Of course, Bella. You are always welcome and Esme is dying to see you. Edward wasn't there when I left, and I'll just call him and tell him to go hunting or something." He pulled out his phone and began dialing.

Bella sighed and replied, "Don't. It's his home, and if he wants to see me, he can. Just let him know I'll be there. I'd hate to surprise him." She turned to me, grinning. "I didn't bring my car, Alice, so fancy giving me a bit of a ride?" I laughed hard, nodding.

"Just like old times, Bella."

**JPOV**

I phased the moment I hit the trees around Forks, too impatient to drive. Luckily almost everyone was in wolf form for one reason or another.

"_Hey Babe. I thought you had to go to work?"_ Leah's voice greeted me, her thoughts a flash of green and blue as she ran through the river.

"_I did, and you won't fucking believe what happened. I walked in to find Bella chatting with four bloodsuckers, one of which I didn't know. Either the Cullen family has grown or we've got a BIG problem."_

"_What?!" _Sam's voice sounded slightly panicked, a rarity for him. _"They haven't come close to our lands, right?" _

"_Not as far as I can tell, but I know nothing about this other sucker. Her eyes are different. Not red, but not the gold color the Cullens have. Get the pack together. We need to talk." _

I could feel Leah head toward home and someone, Quil maybe, phased, probably to go call the others. I ran as fast as I could back to Quileute territory, stopping at the store to make sure no one was hanging out, and then straight to Emily's house. Sam was already there, and Emily was cooking, as usual. Talk about a den mother. We were lucky to have her, and I thought me being around made it easier for Leah. There will always be love between Leah and Sam, but I like to think I was Leah's own Prince Charming, so seeing Sam and Emily enjoy the married life was a bit less difficult.

Leah was the next to arrive, and I saw her phase just inside the trees and quickly throw some clothes on before sliding in the door and giving me a kiss. She hugged Sam and Emily then sat at the table. Leah was great, but she wasn't much of a cook and Emily hated it when people got in "her space" as she called it. The others all arrived within the next five minutes. I glanced around at my family, nervous about what the Cullens return meant.

Emily served the food and we all dug in. , Sam asked me to relay what happened. There were a few muffled cries of outrage when I mentioned the new leech, and my sister Rachel's eyes glazed over. "Wait. Jake. Did you say she had blood red hair and a tattoo of a snake on her arm?"

I paused, shocked. "Yeah, I didn't get a really good look at her before Bella threw me out and the tattoo was covered up a bit, but it looked like a coiled serpent that went around her upper arm. Why? Do you know her?"

Rachel gave Paul a pointed look, whispering something in his ear. He went outside, phased, and ran off, returning just a moment later with Rachel's laptop in his hands. Sometimes being neighbors really paid off.

She opened it and began searching through her files, looking for something. She breathed out in a huff before muttering, "No freaking way." She turned the screen to face me. On it was a photograph of an old painting of the stunning woman, with the title, "Lilith, the First Vampire."

Rachel started to hyperventilate a little. Sam took a deep breath, prying his hands from the table before it snapped under his tightening fingers. I just sat there, trying to remember Bella mentioning any old vampires. It wasn't something we talked about often, but surely she'd tell me about a vampire important enough to have a picture circulated. I looked at Rachel, leaving the question of where the picture had come from unspoken.

She looked a bit nervous, but pulled up a file that contained a long list of notes. "According to my mythology professor, she is the 'true Eve' from the Bible – responsible for taking what she wants with no questions or consequences. Legends say that every vampire in the world owes her for its existence, and she abuses that privilege frequently by taking prey, killing, destroying other vampires."

I laughed for a minute, thinking maybe she'd do me a favor and get rid of all of the Cullens so we wouldn't have to worry about anything. Sam looked at me with bleak eyes.

"Anything she wants, Jacob." He ran a hand through his long, dark hair, groaning. "We've got to decide on a plan of action. Either we strike first, or we wait for our home to be decimated."

**EPOV**

I'd forgotten my cell phone at home, and I made a quick circle back to grab it before heading to watch over Bella's house. I entered the back door quietly, tuning out the thoughts around me. Ever since the whole mess with Bella, I'd learned to ignore my family. For the first year especially, there was no kindness in their thoughts when it came to me, and listening to them just made me miss her even more.

I was surprised to hear voices coming from the living room, and I was hit by a scent I would know anywhere as I headed up the stairs.

Bella.

Here.

In my house.

I picked up my phone, noting a missed call from Carlisle. I punched the speed dial for voice mail. Carlisle's voice came, quickly explaining that things had come up and Bella was visiting the house. I was welcome to be there if I liked, he said she didn't mind, but she didn't want to inconvenience me, either. How very Bella.

I ran full speed down to the living room, pausing in the doorway as her smell assaulted me from all directions. She was sitting on the couch between Alice and Esme, looking completely at home. Like I never existed? More like I'd never left.

As though she'd heard my thoughts, Bella glanced up and offered me a tentative smile. "Hey, Edward. Hope you don't mind me being here. I tried rolling around in some garbage before I got here, so I wouldn't smell too good, but then Esme said she wouldn't let me sit on the couch."

I laughed in spite of myself, before holding my arms out awkwardly. She didn't hesitate, but ran right into them, giving me a squeeze and whispering in my ear "You were such a liar, Edward. I could never forget you existed."

_**AN: There we are. Hope it wasn't too confusing, but please e-mail me questions and I will address each of them individually. **_

_**Also, because I've been asked, I've added links to my playlist so far on my profile, as well as a few links where you can read about Antediluvians and Lilith.**_


	4. Dark Eyes

_**AN: Just as a note, Bella cannot read Edward's mind – I'm more going for the idea that even after all this time, she knows him well enough to know what he's thinking, just like he can usually guess what she's thinking. It's just a little give and take in their relationship.**_

_**For all you Edward lovers, here's a bit more angst to make up for his short POV in the last chapter. Also, Jacob lovers, please be patient – I have not abandoned JPOV, but I'm doing a bit of research so I can make it interesting. You'll get more next chapter, I promise!**_

_Chapter 4 – "Dark Eyes"_

**EPOV:**

Bella finally let go of me, smirking as she fell back on the white couch. I could feel everyone watching me, wondering how I would react. Jasper seemed at peace, sending me a cloud of serenity. I wasn't sure if they expected me to cry vampire tears of sadness or try to eat her on the spot. She still smelled lovely, but different; not as sweet, and perhaps a bit more musky.

I eyed the redheaded newcomer, the hairs on my neck standing on end. Images of Bella being devoured by this brown-eyed vampire were swirling in my head when Carlisle's thoughts caught my attention.

"_Bella's safer than you know, with Lilith here. Lilith doesn't feed."_

My eyes widened. Lilith didn't feed? How was that possible? Carlisle half-smiled, noting my expression.

"_I don't know how she does it, but she completely ignores her thirst. She's done it for millennium. We're still trying to figure out why she's here, though."_

I frowned. Lilith's thoughts were quiet and muted, focused only on what they were discussing at the moment, which happened to be a dissection of 1980s vampire movies.

"No, no, Jim Carrey was much cuter back then. _Once Bitten_ is a true vampire masterpiece. When his girlfriend finds the bite marks on his upper thigh? I laugh every time. I have to say it's much better than that stuffy _Interview With a Vampire_, even if it did have Brad Pitt. He reminds me of Moses." Lilith licked her lips, her thoughts floating back over thousands of years of history for a moment, before settling back on Bella's face.

Bella looked shocked. "Moses was real?! Wait, how old _are_ you, anyway?" Her eyes drifted to me for a split second before looking at Carlisle, the oldest vampire she had experience with.

Lilith threw her head back and laughed heartily. "Yes, Moses was real. You'd be surprised what the Bible got right and the Bible got wrong. And…I'm old. Even in biblical times it was considered rude to ask a woman her age, Bella."

Alice shifted in her seat, her face blank and her back stiffened. Her breath was unusually quick, and her eyes clouded for an instant. Jasper put his arm around her, concerned by the emotions she was expressing.

"Alice? Are you okay?"

She began to shake, something we'd never seen before when she was having a vision. Bella's face, with brilliant ruby eyes, floated before my mind before flashing to her sitting on a throne next to Lilith, a frightened cluster of humans standing before them.

Alice snapped herself out of it, looking at me with wide, fearful eyes. I was vaguely aware of the entire room staring at us, but I just knelt in front of Alice, our faces inches apart.

"_What the hell?! Edward what do we do? We can't let this happen. Bella cannot possibly be choosing this!"_

I shook my head, grimacing and mumbling "Maybe it was someone else's choice." When I noticed Carlisle examining me curiously, I leaned in and whispered, "If you don't mind, could I have a word with you in private?"

He looked slightly confused but stood up immediately. "Of course, Edward. Let's go to my office." He led the way up the stairs to his study, closing the door behind us. I glanced at the wall that held the paintings of his history. He dropped his voice, worried that the others, still in the living room, would hear us."Edward, what is it? What did Alice see?"

I tried to steady my breath, but it was coming in short, jerky gasps. "Alice saw Bella again, with red eyes. Only this time, she was sitting next to Lilith in a room like the Volturi's with a large group of humans in front of her. It was like they were queens or something. I don't understand." I was frantic, my words tumbling out quick and too low for even nearby vampire ears to detect. Carlisle's face hardened for a flash, his jaw clicking shut.

After a moment he motioned for me to sit in one of the dark leather chairs in front of his desk. Instead of his usual post behind desk, he took the chair next to me and turned to face me, his hands clasped gravely in front of him.

"Edward, we don't know why she's here, but this has to be handled delicately. Refusing a demand from her would be like telling the Pope he has to cancel Christmas. It's just not possible."

He twisted his hands in his lap, looking more agitated than I'd ever seen him. "The Volturi will not deny her anything. If she decides, for whatever reason, that she wants Bella, then she will take Bella—and turn her. The idea of Bella refusing to join her after being turned would be ludicrous to any vampire who knows our history."

I began to tap my foot—a nervous habit I didn't even know I had. "She won't touch her. I'd rather die." I knew I sounded dramatic, but I couldn't help it. Carlisle confirmed my worries by rolling his eyes and placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Edward, I'm sorry, but there really is nothing I can do. To stop her would be to end all our lives. And then she'd do it anyway. We have no option but to wait and see." He sighed, and I knew he didn't like the idea any more than Alice or I did.

He ran a hand through his short blonde hair and I smiled in spite of myself. If we were biologically related I'd think I inherited that habit from him. I nodded and he moved to the door, eager not to be "rude" to our guest.

I heard Bella's laughter float up the stairs and hurried back to the living room, snagging the empty seat next to her. Jasper and Alice had disappeared. I wished I could have comforted Alice, but I knew Carlisle's thoughts would only upset her more. Bella gave me a questioning look, but knew better than to voice her concern. Her hair was longer than I remembered, and it smelled different – more herbal, less fruity. I liked it, but part of me ached for the old, familiar aroma. I mentally shook myself, trying to focus on the matters at hand rather than Bella's smell.

"And then he tripped, fell into the platter of turkey and it went flying all over Queen Victoria!" Lilith's eyes sparkled, still a dark brown like Bella's. "I mean really – what kind of vampire trips?!" Bella laughed again, clapping her hands once in her mirth. She was reminding me more of Alice every minute.

"I would. Even if I were a vampire I'd still fall all over my feet. Is being incredibly clumsy a vampire talent?" Everyone laughed except me and Carlisle, who's face wrinkled with worry for a split second before he smoothed it out, hitching a fake smile onto his face

Lilith grinned at Bella as she laughed. There was a certain menace to her bared teeth, though I'm sure Bella didn't notice."I doubt it, Bella. Something tells me that you'd have an amazing, unique talent. They seem to match people's personalities in their lifetime, so it'd only make sense that you'd be dazzling." Bella blushed crimson, flushing all the way down her neck and across her ears.

"Guess we'll never know," Bella responded, looking at her hands. I stared hard at Lilith for a moment, but her face wasn't giving anything away. Listening hard for her thoughts, all I got was a strange echo. Of course the most powerful vampire in existence would be practiced at shielding her thoughts and motivations, but she either couldn't or wasn't blocking me out completely. As I pondered this fact, I very distinctly heard her mental voice.

"_Hi Edward. Nice try, but don't worry your pretty little copper-toned head. She'll be fine."_

I nearly fell off the couch. I kept my cool for Bella's sake. I glanced at Lilith, but she only smiled at me. I couldn't hold my tongue any longer. "Why are you here, Lilith?" I saw Carlisle grimace, running a hand over his face, exasperated at my lack of tact. Bella also looked surprised and slightly annoyed, but her expression was nothing compared to the brief glimpse of irritation that flashed across Lilith's face.

"Edward, it's hardly your business, but I have acquired a night club in Seattle. Generally speaking it will be strictly for our kind, but the first night is open to a select handful of humans. I've asked Bella to cater the affair, and I hope she says yes. Your family would be welcome to attend, but I'm not sure you'll like some of the events that will take place."

I wasn't convinced. "Why Seattle? Why Bella? Why now?" It all seemed to fit together a little too perfectly. Lilith was obviously hiding something, but I was hesitant to ask her about Alice's vision, especially before talking to Bella.

Lilith smiled serenely, but it didn't reach her dark eyes. "Edward, I understand your concern for your human 'friend,'" she drew air quotes around the word friend, making me grind my teeth. "But honestly, I can personally vouch for her safety. No one will touch her, or any of the other human guests. The humans, besides Bella, are providing sustenance for my guests. They are honored, not tortured. I would never allow anything to happen to any of them. Especially Bella."

She sounded sincere, but I still had my doubts."As for why now and why Seattle, I have no answer. The club came to me through friends, like the other businesses I have owned throughout the years and across the world. It's standard operating procedure, so to speak."

Emmett laughed, typically ignoring the serious tone of the moment. "Sweet, Lilith – can we come dance? Rose is always yelling at me for not taking her out enough." Rosalie rolled her eyes, but seemed slightly pleased at the idea of a night on the town.

Lilith grinned at Emmett, reaching for a large handbag by her feet. "Of course you can, Emmett. I couldn't have an opening without the Cullen family. Perhaps we should invite the Denali clan to come, as well?" She pulled out a stiff cardboard card – a fancy invitation to the opening of the club. Rosalie eagerly took it, reading the details.

"Haemo?" Rosalie started laughing hysterically. "You named your club 'blood?' That's priceless!"

Lilith beamed, laughing a little herself. "I wanted something a bit tongue in cheek, plus our kind will be drinking there. I explained to Bella that no one will be bitten, though – all our humans are aware of our lifestyles and have donated their blood, without danger. So, Haemo seemed appropriate, without being too obvious. I hope you'll all come!"

Emmett, Rosalie and Esme all nodded, but I stayed still and silent. I had some other questions for Lilith, but they would have to wait. I turned to Bella. "It's been a long day for you. Are you hungry? Should I get you something to eat?"

"I am pretty hungry," she answered, tossing her hair out of her eyes. As if illustrating her point, her stomach rumbled loudly. "I should get back to the shop, actually. Jake's probably having a fit and I just left that batter on the counter."

I stood up, stretching my legs, and offered her my hand. "I'll give you a ride into town, Bella." She took my hand, shivering slightly, and awkwardly clamored to her feet. She eyed me, smiling slightly. For the millionth time, I wished I could hear her thoughts and know what she was thinking.

"Thanks Edward." She gave everyone in the room a goodbye hug, including Lilith, before adding "Drop by the shop whenever you want and we'll discuss details for the party. It was good to see everyone again, and good to meet you, Lilith."

**BPOV:**

Edward didn't drop my hand, and instead led me out to the garage. Nothing looked out of place or unfamiliar except a car in the corner with a sheet over it. I was vaguely curious, but I didn't bother to ask. Everyone was acting weird. First Alice had a vision and she and Jasper ran off without a word to anyone, jumping out the back door and across the river before anyone could stop them. Then Edward and Carlisle stole off to the study, muttering something about "choices." When they returned, Edward looked like he'd seen a ghost. I hate being left out of things, and Edward knew that. His eyes were golden, but he somehow looked tired.

I climbed into the passenger seat of his silver Volvo and gave him a stern look, which he ignored. Stupid Volvo owner. "Spill it, Edward. I'm tired of trying to read your mind. What did Alice see that has you so upset?"

He squeezed my fingers, sighing heavily before he spoke. "She saw you turned, sitting with Lilith in front of a crowd of humans."

I felt the air expel from my lungs in one huge whoosh. I hadn't expected him to be honest without some cajoling. Nor had I anticipated that the vision, or their return, had anything to do with me. My head swam for a moment before I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts. "I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. I hadn't realized how much I missed that gesture. I focused on breathing evenly and calming my racing heart. "Why do you even care?" I winced at how rude the words sounded. "I mean, I am grateful, but why is me being immortal such a bad thing? I wouldn't hurt innocent people. Lilith told me she doesn't feed at all. Maybe there's another explanation to what you saw."

He glowered at me, gnashing his teeth. "What the hell do you mean 'why do you even care?' I'm trying to save your soul, Bella. I don't want you to be eternally damned like the rest of us!" He paused and his eyes narrowed to slits. "Wait, does that mean you've decided to be turned? That you _chose_ this?"

I groaned, frustrated. "No, Edward. I haven't decided anything. I never even knew it was an option after you left. I don't know any other vampires—much less know any vampires that I'd trust to ask. I've never even thought about it, so I don't know what I'd choose." His fingers tightened on the steering wheel and I could practically hear him seething. I felt strangely calm despite the slight lightheadedness.

Lilith was here for a reason, and I seriously doubted it was my baking skills. Still, she didn't seem to want to harm me. If she'd just wanted to attack, she'd probably had countless opportunities. Even those few moments in my store before the Cullens showed up would have been long enough to let the venom start its work.

It only took a few minutes for Edward to reach town, and what felt like seconds to reach the shop. It was late, but the lights burned brightly, just as I'd left them. I could see Jake pacing in the front room, tossing a mixture of angry and worried glares out the large front windows.

"Thanks for the ride, Edward. I need to go calm Jake down."

I lingered awkwardly for a moment, unsure of whether to hug Edward goodbye or simply leave. What's the protocol for dismissing your lying vampire ex-boyfriend? I darted in and pecked Edward on the cheek. I was smiling to myself as I climbed out in spite of the insanity I'd just endured.

My watch read 2 AM. How long had I been gone? I walked to the shop without a backwards glance at the Volvo or its occupant, making it to the sidewalk before Jake threw the door open and scooped me up in a bone-crushing hug.

"Bella! You bitch! You had me so fucking worried!" He let me go, tugging me into the shop before slamming and locking the door behind us. "Are you fucking crazy? Only you could be confronted by a massive group of vampires and walk off with the crazy goddess first demon Bible lady without a second though." He looked pissed, but the relief in his voice was reassuring.

"Uh, crazy goddess first demon Bible lady, Jake? Really? Obviously you know her name is Lilith. Isn't that less of a mouthful?" I couldn't help but giggle, the stress of the situation finally getting to me. Jake looked disapproving and I knew he and the pack had discussed Forks' newest vampire – the ancient.

Jake ushered me away from the windows, glancing anxiously over his shoulder."Did you have any ideas on why she's here? She asked me to cater a big event up in Seattle, and I think I'm going to do it. The money is too good to pass up." I made my way to my office and collapsed into my chair, suddenly feeling very tired.

"You in a room of bloodsuckers and you're talking about the money? Bella, you're insane." I'd never seen Jake so agitated, and he unconsciously mirrored Edward, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. I would've laughed, but I was pretty sure Jake was dangerously close to the breaking point. I jumped up when I heard someone banging around in the kitchen, but Jake pulled me back down into my chair.

"Relax, Bella. It's Leah. She figured you'd be starving by now. You were gone a long time." Almost as though her ears were burning, Leah showed up with a sandwich on French bread and a bag of chips. I smiled with relief, happy when she returned the grin. Things weren't perfect between me and Leah, but we were both making an effort. We both loved Jake, in our own way.

"Thanks, Leah. You're a lifesaver – I'm famished." Without hesitation, I tore into the food, stuffing my face and eating quickly. Apparently dealing with vampires was very hungry work. I calmed as the sugar hit my bloodstream. I wasn't sure if I should share what Edward had told me with Jake. As it was, the Cullens would be watching my every move. I wasn't sure I wanted to add the wolves to that, or risk having the two groups fight in Charlie's front yard, but it didn't seem fair to keep it to myself.

"Guys, I have some… difficult news." I pushed the empty plate away from me, stretching a bit and patting my full stomach. "Lilith came here and offered me a job, but Alice saw a disturbing vision. The Cullens think she wants to turn me, for some reason." Jake nearly choked on his tongue. Leah absentmindedly patted his back, looking mildly concerned, but still eyeing me.

"And yet you stayed with them for hours? Bella, do you have _any_ sense of self-preservation?" Her voice was playfully exasperated, but her eyes were tight and alarmed. I shot her a scowl before smiling.

"Wow, you just quoted Edward word for word, Leah. Are you sure you two aren't meant to be?" I expected her to throw something at me, but she laughed.

"Maybe we are – Jake here smells like a wet dog half the time." She winked before Jake cut her off, yelling at both of us.

"This is not a joke! How is any of this funny?" He stood up and started pacing around the small room. He was so big it took only two steps for him to cross the space each time, but he didn't seem to notice. He opened his mouth to say something else, but suddenly a distant wolf howl cut through the silence. He and Leah locked eyes for a split second.

"Go, guys. Call me later. Tell the pack I said hi, and we'll all figure this out together." I gestured them toward the back room, where they ran out the door and jumped into Leah's car. I was a bit worried that Sam had called the pack back together after spending the day discussing things, but I was mostly worn out.

I walked home, glancing over my shoulder every few seconds, worried I'd see glowing red eyes from the forest. "Don't be stupid," I told myself. "Lilith's eyes are dark – you won't see her coming." For some strange reason I found that thought comforting.

I unlocked the front door, double locking it behind me. Charlie was working with a police department just outside of Seattle and was staying with a friend near the city. Normally being alone in the house didn't bother me, but I was understandably unsettled. I decided to calm myself by taking a bath, bringing my iPod into the bathroom and plugging it into the small speaker.

I turned the water as hot as I could stand it, turned on my "relaxing" playlist and threw some bubble bath into the tub before I climbed in. The hot water instantly turned my muscles to mush, leaving red marks on my skin. I settled against the wall and closed my eyes, letting the music wash over me as the water cooled.

"_They're just words, they ain't worth nothing  
Cloud your head and push your buttons  
And watch how they just disappear  
When we're far away from here_

_And everybody knows where this is heading  
Forgive me for forgetting  
Our hearts irrevocably combine;  
Star-crossed souls slow dancing  
Retreating and advancing  
Across the sky until the end of time."_

After twenty minutes I sighed and began my bath ritual – shaving, washing, scrubbing and rinsing until every part of me was clean and figuratively sparkly. I wrapped my long hair in a towel before securing another around my body, brushing my teeth and finishing my beauty routine in front of the mirror.

I entered my room and dropped the towel, intending to root around in my dresser for something to wear to bed, when I heard movement behind me. I whirled around, terrified, before I saw Edward there, covering his eyes and turning toward the corner. "EDWARD CULLEN! What the fuck are you doing in here?!" I screeched, snatching the towel from the floor to cover myself, blushing furiously.

"Bella, I'm sorry! I was outside on watch and I saw your window was broken, and I came in to make sure you were okay! I was only here for a minute before you came in, I swear I didn't mean to see anything…" he kept babbling, but I tuned him out. I zoned out, staring at his tangled copper hair. He noticed my silence and chanced turning around, eying me warily.

I stepped closer to him, suddenly invigorated. I raised a hand and slapped him hard across the face, feeling the bruise forming, but stopping myself before I broke anything. "How fucking dare you use my so-called 'safety' as an excuse to spy on me, Edward Cullen. You know I can tell when you're lying."

I pulled my throbbing hand back, ready to hit him again, but he caught me before I could hurt myself and pulled me against him, hard. I'd never seen this side of Edward. "Don't be an idiot, Isabella." Without another word he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me. It felt like I'd never been kissed before. The same shocks of electricity I'd always felt in his presence were there, coupled with a slow, hot fire that burned through my veins. I'd never felt anything like it.

My hands instantly went to his body, one arm around his waist and the other around his neck. The towel fell forgotten in a pile on the floor, but I couldn't bring myself to feel self-conscious of my naked body. I grabbed him by the shirt, jerking him down forcefully onto my queen-sized bed. Without thinking, I tugged hard on his blue shirt, the buttons flying everywhere. I didn't know I had it in me, but suddenly my naked form was straddling his waist, our lips still locked together.

He pulled away from a moment, stared deep into my eyes, and groaned one word. "Bella..." I silenced him with a kiss, pleased to feel him press against me instead of pulling away. The flames still burned inside me, striking a delicious balance compared to his cold skin. I moaned into his mouth, taking no time to think about what I was doing, and pulled down the zipper of his jeans. For a second I thought he'd try to stop me, but looked at me, muttering "I've been waiting for this for ages." He smiled crookedly and pulled my lips forcibly to his.

Before I thought better of it, we were both naked, locked together. I'd never felt anything like it before, but I suppose it was foolish to expect the same old human sex when it came to Edward. It lasted longer than I thought possible, and when it was over I crumpled into a satisfied heap, grinning like an idiot.

I rolled over without a word and fell into the deepest sleep I've had in two years.


	5. You Love Me

_Chapter 5 – "You Love Me"_

**JPOV:**

Leah and I ran faster than we'd ever run. Sam sounded anxious, but the entire pack's thoughts were quiet. I glanced at Leah as we ran, and she looked as confused as I did. At least two others were in wolf form, but they seemed completely distracted by something going on around them.

After a few minutes of running we made it to the edge of the treaty lands, following the scent of the pack to a small clearing just north of town. Leah entered ahead of me, her natural speed carrying her slim body around the circle before she skidded to a stop next to Embry.

She growled at the large group of strangers in front of us, the pack lining the sides of the clearing in a loose circle. I saw several females among the group, and nodded toward the woods. Leah followed me and we changed quickly.

We rejoined the pack and I was about to ask who the strangers were when Sam cut me off with a pointed look. As if on cue, we all sat down, the strangers babbling in some weird language that sounded vaguely familiar, with Embry and Quil adding comments here and there. They were both in my Spanish class at school, so I had no idea what they were speaking or where they'd learned it, but they looked earnest and concerned.

I nudged Sam, whispering "What language are they speaking?" in a husky voice.

He whispered back "It's Chemakum."

I could feel my eyes widen and my jaw drop. "Chemakum? But didn't the Chemakum tribe die out ages ago, after the war with the Makah?"

He rolled his eyes and elbowed me in the ribs, nodding to the crowd now staring at us. "Well, we thought so, but let's face it. We're werewolves, Jake. Stranger things have happened."

He had a point.

After my little outburst, the crowd fell silent, the tallest member of their group looking to me and Sam. Introductions were made quickly, their pack bringing our assembly to a total of 31, with four girls scattered among them. Looks like Leah wasn't one of a kind after all.

A tall, lithe girl with coffee-colored skin began rummaging in her backpack, pulling out a blood-red envelope with fancy script. "My name is Lindiwe, and I am not a wolf. Through a friend I met some of the vampires who are hosting the party in Seattle. They think I'm volunteering to be a snack, but really I've always kind of wanted to be a spy." Her eyes sparkled and she smiled. "I guess I've watched too many James Bond movies." She handed the envelope to Sam, who took it with a look of disgust on his face.

Sam pulled out the invitation, skimming it quickly. "So we've got an invite to the party. How did you know to bring it to us?" A shorter, stockier guy who looked about 20 took Lindiwe's hand and smiled at her, squeezing it before turning to the rest of us. He'd introduced himself earlier as Vales.

"I am a wolf, and Lindiwe is my girlfriend. She's smart – she figured out my change mostly on her own, especially once the girls began to change, too. The bloodsucker has been poking around Seattle for a few years, and our pack was keeping track of him. Apparently Lindi smells better than the rest of us, because he approached her quickly." He grinned, and Lindi's cheeks darkened slightly.

"As for knowing about you, we've always known. We're travelers, and the stories of you and your Cold Ones found us throughout the Pacific Coast. Some tribes laugh at them, much like you did before you changed, but we had a hunch there was more to it. Once Lindi met the guy, Noah, we realized there was more to the legends than we thought. Besides, with this many vampires in one place, we thought you might need the help. We weren't always wolves, but the past couple of years we began shifting. If it hadn't been for your stories, I think I would have had a heart attack."

Sam nodded in agreement and we all laughed, remembering just how crazy he thought he was when he first phased. Leah was eyeing the other girls with interest, and I knew she was curious if any of them were wolves. Seeming to read her mind, Lindiwe turned to Leah, looking confused.

"So you're a wolf, too? Sara thought she was the only one." She nodded toward a girl with shocking blonde hair and the same dark skin as the rest of us. She nodded back and laughed, sounding more like the tinkling bells of Alice Cullen than the barking laugh most of us shared.

Sam smiled, before taking the lead again. "Okay, so here's what I think we should do. One of our strongest needs to go to the party with Lindiwe, to keep an eye on things. From what I've seen it will either be Jacob or your Alex. I can't see them attacking any time soon – it really does just seem to be a party." He looked at Vales, his eyes slightly clouded.

"Do you think we should attack, or just monitor the situation?"

Vales looked thoughtful, chewing his lip. He reminded me of Bella, and I stifled a snicker. I decided it was time to speak up.

"We think Lilith is after a human friend of mine, Bella Swan. We don't know why, but she has sought Bella out and asked her to cater the party for the human attendees. I will go with Lindiwe – I have an excuse, as I work with Bella at her company, plus a local coven, the Cullens, will be with us. They watch out for Bella."

The other tribe looked stunned. "What? You're friends with bloodsuckers?" Vales looked outraged, like he wanted to jump up and hit one of us, but Lindiwe restrained him with a hand on his arm, shaking her head. Sam answered them, looking calm.

"I wouldn't call us friends, by any means, but we have a treaty with these Cold Ones. They do not hunt humans. They do not drink human blood – only the blood of animals, and they often hunt animals elsewhere, to keep the citizens of Forks safe and unknowing. It's an uneasy peace, but it's still peace. In nearly 100 years they have never broken it, and we will not break it first. One of their members, Edward, was in love with Bella. They have recently returned after an absence, but Bella seems comfortable with them, and they have proven in the past that her safety is their priority."

The pack looked mollified, muttering amongst themselves as they processed the once-foreign idea of "good bloodsuckers." Vales finally spoke, sounding unruffled.

"In that case, monitoring will have to do, for now. I wouldn't send Lindi into such a dangerous situation without someone I trusted, and I don't see any gain in attacking, especially before we know more information." He turned to Lindi, running a hand through her long brown hair. "Does that sound okay to you, love? I could go with you, but Jacob has a good excuse to be there, and I could wait outside in case you need me."

Lindi looked at me appraisingly before nodding. "He's obviously one of their strongest, Vales. I'm not scared. This is my way of protecting the living, and our pack. Let's do it."

* * *

**JasPOV**

Man, I love role playing weekends.

This time, I've been a bad, bad vampire. I ate a catholic school girl last night, and now Mistress Alice is here to punish me. I was kneeling on the floor, my mouth stuffed with a pair of Alice's red lacy panties, my hands tied behind my back with a leather strap. Alice stood before me in thigh-high black leather boots, a lace-up corset with matching black leather panties and a riding crop in her hand.

She ran it over my bare back, grinning sadistically, relishing the power she held over me. I shivered slightly, the air miraculously feeling cool on my skin and arousal coursing through my body. I could feel playfulness and lust rolling off of Alice, intensifying as she smacked me once across the ass, making me cry out.

"Jasper Hale, you have been bad. Very bad. That little girl did nothing wrong, and now she's dead. Thanks to you, a family is now in mourning. What do you have to say for yourself?"

I kept my eyes on the floor, not even trying to speak through the gag. I didn't want to make things worse for myself, but my traitorous body showed my stimulation. A smile twitched across Alice's face, before she grabbed me by the hair and positioned me against the bed, kneeling over it, my face buried in the mattress.

"Count them."

Her crop lashed down across my back, and I cried out a muffled "One!" along with a groan. The patterned continued for a mere 20 lashes, a small price to pay for the life I'd taken. My whole body tingled with anticipation as Alice pulled back on my hair again, pulling me up and throwing me across the bed, my hands still awkwardly bound behind me.

Alice stood before me, using vampire speed to lick and suck various parts of my body, each kiss floating for a split second before she had moved on to something else. She always knew how to overwhelm me, no matter what roles we were taking for the night. She kissed my breastbone, in a spot she knew drove me crazy. I couldn't take it anymore – I pulled hard, ripping the strap behind my back, and rolled over, pinning her down as she giggled at my growls.

I suddenly crashed into the wall across from our bed with a loud bang. She'd never thrown me like that before. I was annoyed and more than a little aroused, until her eyes popped and she clutched her hair. "Ahhhh, gross!" Alice dropped the cherry red lollipop she'd been using as a prop and started tugging at her hair, before banging her head against the wall. "Jasper! Make it stop!" My own emotions of confusion multiplied, mixed with the fading lust and growing revulsion she was emanating. I flashed over to her and pulled her hands down to her side, pinning them where they could do no damage. I sent a cloud of serenity toward her, still confused, but determined to calm her.

It seemed to work, at least for a moment. She looked up at me with wild eyes before muttering "I'm going to fucking kill Edward."

* * *

**BPOV:**

I rolled over when the sun hit my eyes, instinctively cringing away from the ice cube next to me and nearly falling off my bed. The ice cube reached out and grabbed me and I finally opened my eyes, shrinking back even further.

"Edward?" My voice was choked with sleep and I looked down, pulling the covers closer around my naked form. "What the fuck are you doing here?" I broke off when I noticed he was naked, too. Hmm, maybe… no! I chastised myself for being so easily distracted.

Edward looked stunned. "What do you mean, 'What am I doing here?' You didn't expect me to just leave after what we shared, did you?" I began laughing at the expression on his face.

"Yeah, Edward, I did. You shouldn't be here. Fucking is one thing, sleeping over is another. That makes what happened seem way too much like we're back together." As I spoke, I stood up unselfconsciously and grabbed some pajamas from my dresser. I slipped the white cotton tank top over my head before rooting around for some panties and finishing my stunning ensemble. I noticed the silence and turned to see Edward sitting motionless on my bed, looking furious.

"Not back together? What exactly do you mean by that, Bella? I'm pretty sure that last night means we're back together." He stood and began gathering his clothes, his hands shaking with anger. I was almost distracted again by his gorgeous body, but forced myself to look away, rolling my eyes.

"I mean exactly what I said, Edward. Last night was great, and I wouldn't mind a repeat, but let's not read into it too much. It was fun. That's all." I started toward the door, thinking about waffles for breakfast. Edward grabbed my wrist, bruising it. I winced, but felt the same tingle at his touch that I had last night. He let go immediately but stood towering over me, looking livid.

"Is that what it was, Bella? Fun? A distraction? Surely Bella you know me better than that." Ah, the stuffy Edward I knew and once loved was back.

"Edward, you need to chill out. You're totally ruining my post-coital glow." I turned and made it out the door, yawning. I rummaged through the cupboards and started mixing the batter for waffles. I wasn't surprised to find Edward behind me, but I was pretty shocked when he went to the backyard and sat on the grass.

I should have known I'd have to deal with a world class hissy fit today, but I couldn't bring myself to regret the events from the night before. I was surprised Edward went along with it, but I reminded myself that he'd probably changed in the past two years, just like I had.

The routine of cooking breakfast reminded me that I needed to get to the shop and call Lilith. And Jake and Leah. And Alice. I suddenly felt annoyingly popular and out of the loop. "Edward, stop pouting and come here."

He entered the kitchen through the back door, still glaring at me. "I'm taking the job from Lilith. I know you don't trust her, but that's why you and your family will be there with me. I know nothing will happen with you watching me, Edward. Last night didn't change that I appreciate that."

His face went blank and his eyes were dark. "Bella, in a room that big we can't protect you. We can't tell her 'no.' Your best bet is to just avoid her. Please, Bella. I won't ask for anything else from you. I'll go away again if you want. I can't just stay silent while you gamble your life."

He looked tortured. I'd never seen him look so worried, even when James tracked me. "So what, then?" I paused to take a sip of my grape juice. "I run? Again? I'm tired of running from vampires, Edward. When do I get to settle down and live?"

He countered me immediately, toying with the salt shaker on the table between us. "Can you really live with this hanging over your head? Why don't you just put a bow on your head and give yourself to her, Bella? That's obviously what you wanted, right? To be a vampire."

I slammed a fist on the table, making everything rattle. "How do you know what I want, Edward? You never stopped to ask me what I wanted when you left. You never even thought about what I wanted. What I wanted was to live forever with the love of my existence. I wanted to be immortal so I could be with you, Edward. Now that I don't have that, I don't give a fuck when I die. It's all just a matter of time." I suddenly felt sick and pushed my plate away from me.

"Then why won't you admit you love me now, Bella? Last night was proof for both of us." He reached to take my hand, but I snatched it away.

"Because things change. I do still love you, Edward, but I'm not stupid or naïve enough to be that vulnerable again. When you left, it destroyed me. I pulled it together because it was killing Charlie to see me broken. I will not leave myself open to that kind of pain again. I'm sorry. I still love you in some ways, Edward. I've forgiven, but I haven't forgotten."

I sighed and stood up, taking my dishes to the sink. I began to wash them automatically, and Edward took a towel and dried them for me. "Bella, I can't tell you how sorry I am, but I also can't apologize for the rest of forever. If you've truly forgiven me, you will give me another chance to make things right. We'll start with letting me protect you now."

I rolled my eyes, heading for the front door with Edward hot on my heels. "Edward, you can't protect me from everything. You're still the biggest threat to my heart."

* * *

_**AN: Sorry it's been so long – I've been sick, found out my Dad has to have triple bypass surgery and have been busy at work, so the whole writing project was pretty far down on my list of priorities. I am sorry to make you wait. I've already started the next chapter (the party!) so I'm hoping you won't have to wait so long.**_

_**Jasper did NOT eat anyone! He and Alice are just being their cute little kinky selves. **_

_**I'm trying hard to even the numbers a bit by adding wolves, but that takes a bit of research, so be patient with me. If I get something wrong, PLEASE tell me. I defiantly need some feedback on this chapter, especially that part.**_

_**Thank you to everyone for reading and being supportive. Every time I get a review, I freak out (in a good way). Please review – they really do make me squee!**_

_**Playlist links added to profile, as well as many of the Devotchka songs I've used so far/named chapters after/etc.**_

_**This chapter is in Ashley's honor, becaus she is awesome, and deidcated to all my girls and boys over at the twilters LJ community! (Link on profile).  
**_


	6. Blessing in Disguise

"_She's changed Edward, what did you expect after all these years? That she would be waiting in her room, __open windows__ for your return? You wanted to live her life without you; congrats you got your way." – Borrowed from "Changes in the Moon" by TwilightTrin_

_**AN: Pictures of the boy's outfits are on my profile and pictures of the girl's outfits are coming soon. Thanks so much Chris for your photoshop work, since I can't even resize pictures. I'm so hopeless.**_

_**Please check the songs on my profile, as well. The music adds a lot to this story, and this chapter especially. **_

_Chapter 6 – "Blessing in Disguise"_

**EsPOV:**

I knew something was wrong the moment Edward sat down at the piano. I flitted down the stairs and waited just outside the doorway. I wasn't foolish enough to think I escaped his notice, but I wanted to give him some sense of privacy. None of us get that much anymore.

He ignored me and stretched once, his long fingers cracking before he placed them on the ivory keys. The dissonant notes of Art Tatum's "Elegie" drifted through the house, Edward picking up speed and frowning furiously at the keys.

Oh dear. This was not a good sign.

The past two years had been harder than any of us could have anticipated. Edward spent a lot of time away from us, mourning and missing Bella, but even when he was gone, an air of bitterness settled around our family. It poisoned everything we did. Rosalie was smug, thinking she'd been right all along. Alice was devastated, having lost a real friend. Emmett was sad, because Bella's clumsy charm always made him smile. Jasper was just a wreck, feeling all of our emotions at once.

The last time Edward had returned, from somewhere in South America this time, I planned to speak with him. I couldn't stand my family being so miserable. If Bella had still been pining for Edward, the choice would have been obvious, but it obviously wasn't that simple.

I'm not sure what any of us expected. Either Bella would still be a wreck over Edward, like Alice said she was for weeks after we left, or she'd have moved on. It was surprising to find she had moved on, but without a special someone in her life. These gray areas are so confusing, even Alice isn't sure of her future.

Carlisle hadn't returned t the hospital yet, so I got to enjoy having him around the house and working on projects with me for a few days. We painted the entire house a pale pink, then blue, then back to just barely off-white. Sometimes it's nice to have vampire speed.

Suddenly the music shifted to a minor, off-key version of Bella's lullaby. This was too much. I couldn't sit and let him butcher every song he knew while thinking about her.

"Edward." I stepped forward, gently taking his shaking hands from the keys and holding them in my own.

"What happened?" He just looked at me, his eyes strangely blank and dark, though he'd hunted only a few days ago. He finally focused on me, before a single, wet tear slid down his cheek. I was stunned. "Carlisle, get down here!" I yelled over my shoulder, pulling Edward into my arms and to the couch as he began to sob.

Carlisle came down the stairs from his study, pausing for a millisecond before crossing over to us, looking terrified and confused. Edward just buried his head in my shoulder and cried as I rocked him. Alice appeared at the doorway, looking concerned, Jasper behind her. A cloud of tranquility extended from Jasper, allowing Edward to calm enough to take a deep, shuddering breath.

He and Alice exchanged a glace, before she blurted out "Edward and Bella had sex."

I hadn't noticed Emmett and Rosalie in the doorway until Emmett let out a huge laugh, yelling "Way to go Edward!" He crossed the room to clap Edward on the back before noticing the serious feeling in the room. "Uh…go Edward?" The hand he had raised for a high five dropped back to his side, and he knelt with the rest of the group.

"She doesn't want me." Edward's voice sounded so pained I jumped and hugged him harder.

"Obviously she does, sweetheart. She's probably just confused. Our returning has to have been hard on her, Edward." I smoothed his unruly hair as I spoke, encouraging him to breathe deeply. I know he didn't mean to talk about this in front of all of us, but sometimes these things happened.

Rosalie snorted. "She's changed Edward, what did you expect after all these years? That she would be waiting in her room, open windows for your return? You wanted to live her life without you; congrats you got your way."

I stood, drawing myself to my full house and leaning into Rosalie. "I've had enough of your cruelty, Rosalie. Go hunting. Go somewhere. Leave your brother alone." Rosalie glared at the family before stomping out of the house and jumping across the river. I turned back to Edward, hugging him again.

Emmett took Edward's hand and pulled him forcibly form my arms. "Suck it up, cupcake. We're going hunting, and we're going to have a manly talk." He smiled at me, and I instantly felt better, knowing Emmett would be full of tough love, but also had some good advice to share.

**CarPOV**

The four men of the family ran towards Canada, hunting the lions Edward preferred. Just after we passed the border, we caught the scent of a large pack. For once Edward hung in the back of the crowd, not pouncing until all of us were drinking deeply from our kills.

Once we were all satisfied, we lit a small fire and sat down. Emmett seemed like the MC, putting an arm around Edward's shoulders and smiling. "So, Eddie, was she THAT bad in bed?"

I smacked Emmett across the back of the head, sighing, before adding "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, Edward, but I think it may help. You've been alone so long, and she makes you alive again. We're here if you want to talk."

Edward smiled at me, playfully snapping his teeth at Emmett's arm, but leaving it around his shoulders. He took a deep breath, sighing as he exhaled, and began telling us the entire story – how he accidentally invaded Bella's privacy, how she reacted physically and how she reacted this morning after she woke up. His eyes were sad, but there was also a spark I hadn't seen before.

Emmett broke the short silence. "That sucks, bro. Look. I know how hard it is, but I can understand her perspective. She wants you. She loves you. But she loved you before, and you left. _We_ left. She was part of our family and we just left her. I think she's just scared to really let you in again. It sounds like she got swept up in the moment, but she's terrified of feeling that loss again."

The three of us stared at him, jaws dropped.

"What? God, I _was_ human, you know!" He looked mock-offended, before laughing. Jasper laughed, a rare sound.

"He's not wrong, either. Her emotions are conflicted, at least when I'm around. I haven't influenced her at all, just tasted the medium. She does still love you, Edward. It's there. And she knows it's there. It annoys her that it's still there, after all this time. I'm thinking she got caught up in the moment and now she is, maybe even unconsciously, trying to show you just how badly you hurt her."

Edward looked thoughtful, chewing on his bottom lip. "I have to show her what she means to me, and win her back. All of our lives were wrong without her. Her life was obviously wrong without me, without us. I have to come up with a way to show her how I feel."

We sat for a few more hours, Emmett and Jasper enjoying the process of burning things far too much. Emmett also picked a fight with a grizzly bear, but left it alive after an evening of gorging. We made it home within an hour, where my lovely Esme greeted me with a kiss.

She turned to Edward, smiling. "Bella came by, Edward. She seemed a bit chagrined about the whole situation and I think she wants to apologize for how she acted. I think she's still confused, but she wants to be friends, Edward. Maybe, for now, that's enough."

Edward smiled and nodded, thanking Esme and heading up the stairs after his brothers, up to his room.

I sighed, turning back to Esme. "Oh, how troublesome life is as they grow up."

She smiled, running a hand through my blonde hair, grinning. "I wonder if we would have had so many misunderstandings in our lives, if we had known each other before you changed me."

I laughed. "Well, considered you were married and had a child, I'd imagine we probably would have. The last thing I needed was to get into a fight with a human defending his wife." She smiled, grabbing me by the shirt and planting little kisses along my jaw line.

"Good thing that was a long time ago, huh?" She took my hand, leading me up the stairs to our master suite. She shut the door behind us, grinning and unbuttoning my shirt in vampire speed. "It looks like we've still got a long way to go in making up for lost time."

**JasPOV**

The past weeks felt even shorter than normal. Being a vampire changes your perspective of time, but the weeks before the club opening flew faster than I imagined. Rosalie and Alice were in full force, both helping Bella plan menus and shopping for costumes.

The opening had a theme – "Time Flies By." Not only did that match my past few weeks, but it was kind of cool. Everyone was invited to wear period clothing from the time they were changed. Alice had contacted Maria and found my old Confederate uniform. I have no idea why Maria kept it, but it was very well preserved, without any stains. I was excited to wear it again, and see what everyone else was wearing, too.

Things have calmed considerably, even though we were still worried about Lilith's intentions for Bella. Edward and Bella had a talk after "the incident," and they've decided to stay friends and take it slow. They're obviously head over heels for each other, but they're both terrified. They're using the opening as a chance to spend every moment together, though they have an agreement that if Bella closes her window, Edward won't come in and watch her sleep. There's something creepy about that habit.

The uneasy alliance with Jacob Black's wolf pack is also a bit stressful, but I can't doubt their motives of protecting Bella, and all the other humans in the area. Lilith had said every human in attendance would be there by choice, and that blood was extracted beforehand to avoid any exposure to venom, but the pack still saw it as a gross breach of human trust.

I was personally torn on the issue. I missed human blood, and this was an opportunity to have it without harming anyone. I wouldn't partake, because it would devastate Carlisle and Alice, but I sort of saw what Lilith meant. No worries of turning someone, no harming them, no draining, no death. It seemed win-win, but I knew the rest of the family wouldn't see it that way.

The day of the opening was a bit frantic. Edward and Emmett were off helping Bella and Jacob finish the food. Alice, Rosalie and Esme were at the spa, preparing for the big night. Carlisle and I were playing chess with Civil War reenactment figurines. It was a bit of a guilty pleasure, and Carlisle was kind enough not to mention my collection to the family. Alice knew, of course, but I refused to play with her after she started saying "pew pew" after she took one of my men. Women.

Carlisle eyed me as he captured one of my bishops. "Jasper, son, are you okay? You seem distracted."

Sometimes I forget how perceptive he can be. I ran a hand through my blonde locks, sighing and twisting a piece of hair just behind my ear. "I'm worried about exposure to that much fresh blood at one time, to be honest. I still feel so weak compared to the rest of you."

Confession time with Father Carlisle. I hadn't planned that, but it felt good to admit it.

"Alice has assured me that I'll be fine, but she's lied to me before. It's just…it's hard to deny myself when I can justify by thinking no one will get hurt." The words came out rushed, but Carlisle smiled. I moved a pawn, completely sidetracked from the game.

"You know, Jasper, I think you're the strongest of all of us." My jaw dropped, and he smiled wider. "You are such a protector. We'd all die for each other, but you've protected us all. Your fear is only natural. It's 'human,' if you will. It's part of what keeps you tied to the world around us."

He leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand, gazing at me with golden eyes. "Even those years ago, when you leapt at Bella the night of her birthday, you showed some restraint. Willingness to be torn away. I truly believe that without your humanity, we never would have been able to stop you from killing her. Even then, in a dark moment, you chose to let her live. Don't ever forget that, Jasper."

I shuddered at the mention of that night, guilt flooding every cell of my being. If I hadn't been so stupid, so impulsive, Bella and Edward would probably be married and having their happily ever after. I'd torn my family apart, and Carlisle, in all his compassion, was offering me praise.

I put my head on the table, scattering my precious figurines. I tried not to remember the smell of her blood in this very room. I tried to forget Edward's snarl as I crossed the space between me and her in a split second. Hell, I'd tried to forget the past two years, but there was no luck there.

"I know it's more difficult when there's a blur between 'right and wrong' in drinking. But that's a slippery slope, Jasper. Only you can tell whether you can taste human blood, indulge, and still avoid killing. I leave the choice to you."

He clapped me on the shoulder, inclining his head as we heard the girls' car approaching. I knew Carlisle would never betray my confidence by mentioning our conversation, so I moved quickly to pack away my collectibles. As I was locking them in the closet, Alice crossed the room and kissed my cheek, giving me a knowing look.

I glanced at the clock, amazed that it was already time to get dressed. Edward and Bella had left to set up the food, but Emmett bounced through the door and put on his suit in record time. We were taking Carlisle and Rosalie's cars to Seattle to keep up appearances, but it wouldn't take us long. Alice had checked our rote to ensure we wouldn't be pulled over, and Edward had his own version of radar detection.

Everyone looked amazing. We hadn't had a wedding in awhile, so the girls went totally over the top with dressing up. Alice was wearing a cream colored, beaded dress, her normally spiky hair falling in loose waves. Esme's dress was black and less fitted, more traditional. She wore a cloche hat, all the rage in the 1920s. Rosalie, of course, went for bold and sassy, with a tight fitting red dress with feathered sleeves, her long hair curled with black feathers. I was surprised none of them were dressed as flappers, but Rosalie laughed. "Been there, done that. This is the kind of dress no one could afford back then."

Carlisle looked silly, but was wearing a frilly suit that would have marked him as royalty back in the 1640s. Emmett had embraced his inner gangster, wearing a dark, baggy zoot suit with a black fedora, red feathers in the band in a nod to Rosalie.

The drive was short and fairly quiet. We pulled up to the club right on time. It was in a large seemingly abandoned building in the warehouse district, a neighborhood that was seemingly deserted at night. The parking lot was packed, belying the busy club's nondescript exterior.

The club was surprisingly posh, with lots of midnight blue, plum and black with silver accents. Leave it to the ultimate **antediluvian **to avoid the clichéd blood red décor. There were plush couches, with about fifty humans strewn about the room, enjoying drinks and food. I had to admit – human food hadn't smelled this appealing in a century. Carlisle presented our invitations to hulking guards and we made our way into the cavernous room. I hardly recognized Bella, scurrying around and setting out food with Jacob, dressed in 1950s style clothes. Bella's long hair was pulled up in a bouffant, and she looked hot, wearing a blue dress. I'd always loved the fashion from the 50s, and Alice had indulged my pinup fantasy on more than one occasion. "Jasper, shut up." Oops. Mind reading brother in range. I shook my head, focusing instead on my beautiful wife. She smiled, winking at me. Edward's voice wasn't loud, but I knew every immortal in the room heard him. He sounded annoyed, but I could hear the smile in his voice. Lilith crossed the room to us, wearing nothing but strategically placed fig leaves and a smile. "Hello, Cullens! Might I say you all look fabulous? Truly top notch. Welcome to the party, please make yourselves at home and have a good time." She gestured around the room, nonchalantly ignoring the stocked bar near the door that reeked of various blood types. My mouth watered, venom welling in my throat, but I swallowed, trying to ignore it. Alice claimed a table at the front of the building, near a large stage where a band was setting up. Lilith crossed over to Bella and Jacob, speaking briefly. Bella blushed crimson, but Jacob laughed and nodded enthusiastically. Bella was shaking her head frantically, but Lilith took her hand and led her to the stage. The band played a little fanfare as Lilith climbed the steps, taking the microphone. "Hello, everybody! I'd like to welcome you to opening night here at Haemo, Seattle's finest Immortal social establishment. A special welcome to our human visitors, who have made this club possible. Eat, drink and enjoy - humans only! I shouldn't have to remind you vampires to behave yourselves. Anyway, without further ado, I would like to introduce our entertainment for the evening, Bridenbrad, with a special song by my friend, who is also responsible for the great food you're enjoying here, Bella Swan!" We all looked at each other, shocked. Emmett started giggling, his eyes wide as Bella turned impossibly red. She took the mic from Lilith, sending Edward an apologetic look. The band began to play and Bella's voice sang out, smooth as velvet. "_I never promised you a ray of light.  
I never promised there'd be sunshine every day.  
I give you everything I have, the good, the bad.  
Why do you put me on a pedestal?  
I'm so up high that I can't see the ground below,  
So help me down – you've got it wrong, I don't belong there._ _I always said that I would make mistakes.  
I'm only human, and that's my saving grace.  
I fall as hard as I try, so don't be blinded._

_See me as I really am, I have flaws and sometimes I even sin,  
So pull me from that pedestal. I don't belong there."_

If she hadn't looked so horrified, I'd have sworn she planned it. Her eyes were watering, and Edward looked thoughtful, and then smiled at her reassuringly. Bella closed her eyes, swaying slightly on her high heels, radiating both relief remorse. Edward was surprisingly calm, but for some reason Rosalie was pissed.

Bella finished the song to loud applause, Emmett and Jacob competing for the title of most obnoxious fan. Jacob was standing near a group of humans with a pretty brunette girl I'd never seen before. Bella awkwardly descended the stairs, hurrying over to us. We were still cheering and smiling, but she frowned, seeking Edward's eyes.

He took her in his arms, murmuring "Bella, I love your human nature. It _is_ your saving grace." I felt it coming a split second before it happened, but I just grinned and pulled Alice closer. She gasped when he dipped Bella deeply, kissing her sweetly on the lips before righting her and steadying her on her feet. Bella's jaw dropped and she blushed again, the smell of her blood attracting the glances of several vampires around us.

The ones that hadn't noticed her blood stared at the odd human/vampire coupling. Carlisle sighed, grinning but covering his face with his hand before groaning "Way to keep a low profile, Edward." Bella mock-glared at him before giggling, pulling Edward over to the couch.

Lilith was watching from across the room, a martini glass full of O positive in her hand. She caught Edward's eye and raised her glass, grinning, before turning to the guests surrounding her. The band was a great group I'd heard before, an assembly of vampires who played everything from old Celtic tunes to current pop songs.

The band struck up "I Like Bananas (Because they Have no Bones)" by the Hoosier Hotshots. Oddly enough, it was one of Alice's favorite songs from her era and the whole family began to dance, even Carlisle and Esme, and I've got to admit – my Mom can do a mean lindy hop.

Lilith had planned for everything – dance demonstrations from the 1400s to the 1970s, food, drinks and even a vaudeville show. I was still avoiding the blood bar with a passion, desperate for a drink but not in the mood for the interrogation I'd get from my family. Alice and I were on one of the couches, taking a break from dancing, when her face went blank, Edward flashing over to us with Bella in his arms.

I grabbed Alice's hand, shaking her slightly. "Alice, what did you see? Alice?"

Edward and Alice answered at the same time, turning toward the club's doorway. "Victoria."

_**AN: Okay, so it's almost a mini-cliffie, just to see if anyone is actually paying attention. Honestly I was going to do the party all in one chapter, but it got way too long and I didn't want to feel rushed in the telling.**_

_**Thanks to everyone who sent me kind messages about my Dad. He's off traveling in the Galpagos Islands, harassing huge turtles, so obviously it's not too bad or they wouldn't have let him go. I'll keep you all updated, hopefully in the next couple of chapters.**_

_**Also, PLEASE review! I respond to every review, good or bad, and keep every review/story alert/favorite e-mail, because I am a sap about these things. Yesterday I had a crappy day and I actually read some of the kind things people have said, and it made me smile. So yeah, I'm pathetically begging for reviews. I'll give you cookies!**_


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